Improvement in forming skeleton skirts



UNrTnn STATES ATENT OFFICE.

DATUS E. RUGG, OF NEV YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR TO HIMSELF, F. S. OTIS, JOS. I. AND J. O. NYEST, JEDEDIAH WILOOX & OO., AND HENRY RICH- ARDSON.

IMPROVEMENT IN FORMING SKELETON SKIRTS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 47,155, dated April 4, 1865.

To all whom it may concern:

Beit known that I, DATUS E. RUGG, of the city and State of New York, have invented, made, and applied to use, a certain new and Improved Method of Shaping Ladies Skeleton Skirts; and Ido hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and eXact description ot' my said invention, reference being had to the annexed dra wings, making pa rt ot' this specification, wherein- Figure lis a plan of the block or frame that I make use of, and Fig. 2 is a side cle vation of the same.

Similar marks ot' reference indicate the same parts.

In manufacturing skeleton skirts prior to my present invention it was usual to cut oft ihe lengths for the hoops, mark the same at the points of intersection with the vertical galloons or ribbons, and attach these galloons to the hoops at said points after the hoops have been connected at their ends into the circular form. In these instances much time and trouble were expended, and the skirt, when formed, did not possess that beauty and graceful form desired, and would often set out nearly equally all around, instead of projecting in the rear part as a bustle, while the front hung vertically, or nearly so. To obviate this difficulty and greatly facilitate the forming of the skirts and giving the desired shape, at the same time lesseniug the cost of manufacture, I conceived the idea that the hoops should rst be properly placed and then that the galloons or tapes should be stretched from one to the other and attached, so that by pursuing this method a perfect shape would be produced without loss of time in marking the hoops or the galloons, or both, at the points of intersection. 'Ihns a better article at a less cost and with greater facility would be produced by my method. To accomplish this object I constructed the frame represented in the drawings, consisting of carved pieces of wood a a, of the proper siape of the skirt, in a vertical longitudinal plane, and the pieces b b of the proper shape in a vertical or nearly vertical plane, transversely to the skirt, and united the same at the points of intersection, and also provided a block, c, for the waistband of the skirt. For convenience I mounted this frame or block on a pedestal or column, d, upon which it could be turned.

It will now be apparent that, in order to make a perfectly-shaped skirt, the frame or biock being correct, all that is required is to place the metallic covered hoops around the frame, said hoops being sustained at the proper places by pins c e, or their equivalents, place a waistband around the block c, having the galloons or tapes sewed thereon, pass said tapes or galloons down over the hoops and sew or otherwise permanently connectthe hoops and galloons, or pin, or otherwise temporarily attach the parts together for future permanent connection, either on the block or after removal therefrom.

It will be evident that this method of form ing skeleton skirts is irrespective of any particular shape, because whatever desired size or form is given to the block the skirt will correspond therewith.

I wish 1t understood that I am fully aware that blocks have been used in pressing' or forming bonnets, hats, and other articles; therefore I do not claim, broadly, giving shape to an article by a block or frame 5 but What I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is*

lhe method herein specified of shaping or forming ladies7 skeleton skirts by sustaining the hoops in the proper position relatively to each other, while being connected together by tapes, galloons, or their equivalents, for the purposes specified.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my signature this 11th day of August, 1859.

DATUS E. RUGG.

Witnesses:

' LEMUEL W. SERRELL,

Tiros. GEO. HAROLD. 

